Category Archives: Blog Post 3

by Adam Keyrouze | November 4, 2015 · 1:00 pm

Chesney still kickin’ it

JUNE 4TH, 2016!!!!!!!!!! ARLINGTON, TEXAS!!!!!! FINALLY I GET TO GO!

At long last, I will finally have the opportunity to attend a live Kenny Chesney concert. Nash Country Weekly released this past week on Friday that Kenny Chesney will be hosting 11 stadium dates this upcoming summer, and the one stadium I’m most excited about is at AT&T stadium, aka “Jerry World”, in Arlington, which is only about 30 to 45 minutes from my hometown.

The Spread the Love summer 2016 tour is starting out on April 23 in Auburn, Alabama at Jordan Hare stadium followed by a performance at Chase Field in Phoenix on May 7th before finally coming to Arlington. The tour follows along the lines with the same mantra as previous albums of his such as “No Shoes, No Shirt, No problem” and “The Big Revival Tour”, of “a passion of living and loving music.”

The tour will also consist of other popular country artists which will only draw bigger crowds to his performances (which is pretty unbelievable since his crowds have been record setting as of late.) The other featured artists are none other than Miranda Lambert, Sam Hunt, and Old Dominion. These artists will attract more viewers making the concerts even more popular to attend. Chesney has been breaking records lately like I mentioned earlier, such as “The Big Revival Tour” where Nash Country Weekly reported that he sold more than 1.3 million tickets.

I’m so excited to finally be able to attend a Kenny Chesney concert. I have never been able to attend a concert of his because either I was out of town when he came anywhere close to where I lived, had another commitment, he didn’t tour anywhere closed to Dallas, or I was too young to fully appreciate country music. If this was freshman year of high school I would not be anywhere near as excited as I was when I found out about this tour on this past Friday.

I remember growing up as a kid sitting in my dads truck listening to Kenny’s album “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem” and liking it but not truly listening to it. It was the first country album I listened to because of my dad which is weird since he told me he used to not like country music. He told me he didn’t start listening to it until he moved down here to Texas from New York and after actually listening to it, the stereotype that he thought it was completely changed.

“No Shoes, No Shirt, No problem” will always be my favorite country album not only because it was good music, but because I will always think of how my dad and I became closer listening to it in the summers over and over again.

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Filed under Blog Post 3, Live Music, Texas

by Alyssa Buchanan | November 3, 2015 · 7:00 am

Peace Out Hurricane Patricia

In light of the recent storms that hit Austin, Texas this weekend and last, it seems most appropriate to talk about a few country hits that are on the “must listen to while it’s raining” list. If there is one thing that a country artist likes to sing about, it is feelings. And especially feeling those feelings when it’s dreary outside. Even if the song doesn’t deal directly with rain, it will probably make you nostalgic for spending time with you favorite people on a day that calls for multiple movie marathons, popcorn, board games, and warm, home-cooked food. Some may argue that these song choices are better suited for after a break up, but if you think about it, a break up is just a rainy day for your emotions (and maybe your eye balls).

Colder Weather by Zac Brown Band

Hitting number one in 2011 on the Billboard of Hot Country Music, this song is easily a go to. Singing about “colder weather” and leaving the people you love is just plain depressing. The slow melody is entrancing; making you want to be around the people you love. The song only adds to the sentimental feelings and longing that come along with a rainy day.

Diamonds and Gasoline by Turnpike Troubadours

Another slow and steady paced song, Diamonds and Gasoline is easy to follow and has a strong sense of honestly and truth to it. Just like the lull of rain on a windowpane or the street, the rhythm puts you in a calm and peaceful mindset. In the midst of rain or a thunderstorm, the need for serenity is high. Though the song didn’t get much recognition by chart topping, those who follow the Turnpike Troubadours can attest to its emotional appeal.

I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack

The second number one of the Billboard of Hot Country Music on the list, topped the charts in 2000. Lee Ann Womack uplifts her listeners throughout the song to “feel strong when you stand beside the ocean” and not to sell out. On a rainy day, a little empowerment goes a long way, and is by all means necessary so as not to get bogged down by all of the gloom.

When It Rains by Eli Young Band

Sometimes there are those days where your motivation has left, you can’t help but feel alone, and you feel like you’ve been set back into equilibrium when it starts to rain. Somehow the rain makes you feel a little less lonely. This song sings directly to that, saying, “Yeah the sun may brighten your day but if I had my way I would take the rain.” Winning Song of the Year in 2011, it is clear that more than a few people can relate to feeling their best on a rainy day.

19 You + Me by Dan and Shay

A feel good song is crucial in completing the playlist for a rainy day. Although the rain may bring you down, its always reassuring to hear that you are loved. It’s that song you dance around in the kitchen to while making a nice dinner in because the weather outside is unfavorable. A more recent song, it topped the charts for US Billboard top 100 in 2013-2014. No better way to finish out the list than a little revitalization.

But why listen to certain country songs when it’s raining? Because the genre really supplies the listeners with a plethora of songs that talk all about rain all of the feelings that come with it: love, loneliness, companionship, and tranquility. There are many other songs that fall into these categories, but these are a few that I think fit best. And no matter what, any country is easily the right choice for some rainy day jams.

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Filed under Blog Post 3, Lists, Reflection

Tagged as rain, slow country

by Kayla Miracle | October 31, 2015 · 7:00 am

5 Best Country Sing-Along Jams

If you’ve never had a hair-flipping, bed-jumping, scream-singing dance party to country music, what have you been doing with your life? 90s and early 2000s women country singers gave so much to the pop-esque country genre. Their independent and take-on-the-world qualities make their music fun, and their love for love makes their music desirable. So grab a hairbrush to sing along because the following five songs are considerably some of the best country hits to dance around to that will make you feel like a professional while you belt them out in your room (with some sick dance moves, I’m sure…)

The Way You Love Me – Faith Hill

Honestly, does it get any better than Faith Hill? I can’t help but listen to her music and assume everything is about Tim McGraw and that makes me so happy I can hardly stand it. This song is the ultimate ode to the perfect man. This song is an accurate representation of how everyone in a relationship wants to feel. I could jump around to this song forever. Also, this video (!!!) is the greatest thing ever.

Best lyric to sing-along to: “You’re the million reasons why there’s love reflecting in my eyes”

Man! I Feel Like a Woman! – Shania Twain

Girls, this is our anthem. This song is best sung when you’re driving around with all your best girlfriends. (I can’t help but think of the scene in the Britney Spears movie Crossroads when Brit and friends belt this out on their road trip.) This might be the most poppy you can go and still be country. Shania really made herself known with this one. Girls just want to have fun and listen to Shania Twain and wear men’s shirts and short skirts.

Best lyric to sing-along to: “The best thing about a-bein’ a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun”

Suds In The Bucket – Sara Evans

This goes out to all the girls who have thought about the perfect boy that would make them drop everything to go be with him. This story about a small town teenage girl going off to be with her love regardless of the life she’s leaving behind is something that is straight from the movies. “You can’t stop love,” Sara sings and we all want to feel just that. The instrumental in this song provides for some necessary two-stepping and twirling around in cowboy boots.

Best lyric to sing-along to: “A little pony-tailed girl grown up to be a woman and she’s gone in a blink of an eye / She left the suds in the bucket and the clothes hangin’ out on the line”

Bye Bye – Jo Dee Messina

Although we love to jam out to happy, lovey songs, some of the best dance songs are the upbeat break-up ones. This one is a prime example. What’s better than screaming bye bye to the one who broke your heart? Sure, the dancing and the screaming is going to make you insanely tired but you’ll inevitably burn a lot of calories while doing so. Jo Dee sings about a man who just couldn’t make up his mind so she does it for him. You go girl. Keep doin’ you, we’re all taking notes.

Best lyric to sing-along to: “I’ve lost the game I guess / I did my best to win the part / Now I’m leaving here with what’s left of my heart”

Kerosene – Miranda Lambert

This is a complete and polar opposite song from many on this list (which is good because everybody enjoys a little variety) and is so necessary for anyone who is thinking of the perfect revenge to get on the worst of the worst who didn’t know how to treat you. Cheating is never ok, ok? Miranda totally gets revenge by setting this boy’s house on fire. “Life ain’t hard but it’s too long living like some country song,” she sings and decides to give up on love. One would deem this an appropriate statement after having your heart broken. So, don’t dance to hard to this one. (And don’t set any houses on fire…)

Best lyric to sing-along to: “Now I don’t hate the one who left / You can’t hate someone who’s dead / He’s out there holding on to someone / I’m holding up my smoking gun”

This mini-playlist is guaranteed to get you in the best mood and will provide the best dance party you’ve ever had. I’ll just go ahead and say you’re welcome — YOU’RE WELCOME.

13 Comments

Filed under Blog Post 3, Country Pop, Lists, Music Videos

by Lauren Harris | October 29, 2015 · 7:00 am

A New Texas Country Performer To Look Out For

What do you think of when you picture West Texas? Something that comes to mind may be a straight road through the middle of no where with a speed limit of 85 or possibly a dark starry night with abandoned diners. That is what I thought of too until a few weekends ago. Now, I picture the beautiful Big Bend National Park and the welcoming people of Marathon, TX. This is an image that I am sure El Paso native and country music singer Abe Mac can agree on with me.

These days it is hard for artists to “make it big” and this under the radar musician is someone I want to share with ya’ll.

When first arriving to the Gage Hotel in Marathon, I was a little concerned that I could stand at one end of the town and see the other. But once discovering that there would be a live performer for dinner, I was satisfied. I had the privilege of eating a delicious meal while listening to Abe Mac perform for the restaurant. He grew up in far west Texas just minutes away from Rosa’s Cantina. Never heard of it? Well maybe you have heard of Marty Robbins’ song called “El Paso” where he says, “night-time would find me in Rosa’s Cantina.” Mac was not only inspired by Robbins, but also many other Texas country stars like George Strait and Merle Haggard. He can play drums, keyboard, and guitar. Throw out a song and he can make a beat and play. He had no back up band with him but was using a multi track song recorder to create his own band. He would record a few guitar chords and a beat with his fist on the body of the guitar and then start playing.

But, his original songs were even better.

Mac has released two albums, “My Kind of Friends” and “American Country,” and a single since 2013. He has a couple of music videos out as well. His songs range from an array of county music topics like tequila, whiskey, girls, family, and America. Going off of that last topic, his song “Far Away,” that is accompanied by a music video, is one of my favorites.

In this song he is singing from the point of view of a soldier. It discusses the troubles of coming home after being deployed. You can tell from the music video that he actually knows people who have experienced these troubles and cares about the topic. He actually works with the American Patriots non-profit organization to raise awareness for PTSD. This is a song he wrote, not something that a producer told him to just sing, which comes through in his performance. In fact, Mac is an unsigned independent artist who just loves to play his music.

While watching him perform he was just so happy to be up there entertaining people and connecting with the crowd. While he clearly has high hopes of making it big and playing at sold out venues, he loves what he does and is in it to make himself and his fans happy.

5 Comments

Filed under Blog Post 3, Texas

by Tyler Dial | October 28, 2015 · 7:00 am

Chris Stapleton: A Night To Remember

I was driving ten miles an hour below the speed limit on the way to New Braunfels to see Chris Stapleton as the rain pounded the car windshield. Halfway there, I got an email saying the concert was still on but if you couldn’t make it, you would be reimbursed. The event was going to be outside at the River Road Ice House but instead the sound crew had to work mercilessly to move everything inside to give Stapleton and his fans the show they deserved.

Still a naive honky-tonk-goer, I rounded up my buddies to get to the Ice House at 6:00 immediately when the doors opened because why not show up early to get good spots to see Chris Stapleton?

I’ll tell you why.

When you buy a ticket, make sure you look at the number of opening bands. There were four. That’s four separate hour-long sets that you have to sit through before the main act goes on. For a brief moment, we questioned our commitment to guarding our spot with a perfect view; however, once the first band started playing, we knew the five hours of waiting for Chris Stapleton wouldn’t be too bad. The highlight of the openers was when Jason Eady and Adam Hood joined to form the Southern Brothers band. By the end of their set, the house was packed. People were shoulder to shoulder and the crowd was so massive that up people were watching from the outdoor patio in the rain.

Okay… Finally it was 10:00 and they began readying the stage for Chris Stapleton. We stood in the same spot for 4 hours. We were hot. Our legs were tired. And our heels ached from standing in our uncomfortable boots. It took another hour of setup and although our patience wavered, our excitement for Chris Stapleton didn’t. Did I mention that I was standing next to Jordan Shipley who also waited like us?

Almost exactly when the clock on my iPhone hit 11:00, a burly figure with a majestic beard and a perfectly weathered cowboy hat appeared to the side of the stage. You could tell he was an introvert as he kept his eyes steady on his feet as he walked onto the stage. His wife and background singer, Morgan Stapleton, strutted onto the stage after him, carrying a glass of red wine. The drummer and bass player followed. It was clear that Stapleton wasn’t much of an entertainer. He was going to let his music do the talking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcNofq_Cihw

Stapleton kicked off the show with his attitude-filled “Nobody to Blame.” Immediately you could feel the chemistry between Chris and his wife as they held eye contact for half of the song. Next, he played his title track, “Traveller.” At this point in the show, you could tell that Chris and Morgan were shocked at the crowd response. They were wide-eyed a giggly. It was like it was the first time every single person in the audience knew every word to each song. Then came the song I was waiting for, “Fire Away.” The world stood still as Mr. and Mrs. Stapleton had me in the palms of their hands. I could’ve left after those three songs and the five-hour wait would have still been worth it.

By the end of the night, it was clear that all the critical acclaim Chris Stapleton has received this past year was truly deserved. I feel incredibly sorry for the people who decided not to fight the rain and come to the concert because they missed out on one of the most intimate concerts they’d ever see.

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Filed under Blog Post 3, Live Music